On February 17th, the Perth Digital Accessibility Conference (PDAC) opened its doors. This year’s incarnation took place at Bentley Technology Park and was hosted, as always, by the fantastic Perth Digital A11y Group. And what a day it was! 2026 has brought with it a record turnout – over 100 in-person attendees, and countless more joining online from all over Australia, and even overseas.
For 13 years, the PDAC has been bringing together the very brightest minds in the accessibility space. From business and industry professionals to local and state government representatives, to accessibility advocates and experts, the PDAC has it all. It functions as a forum for learning, communication, and collaboration within the accessibility space, and has established itself as the premier accessibility conference in Western Australia.
This year’s keynote speaker was Herin Hentry, Digital Accessibility Lead at the Reserve Bank of Australia. Her presentation, “Extreme Ownership for Accessibility,” kicked off the conference and set the tone for things to come. Her talk highlighted the importance of taking responsibility, showing leadership, and instituting long-term cultural change across organisations.
VisAbility’s contribution came in the form of our very own Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist (and Accessibility Advocate of the Year 2023!), Vithya Vijayakumare! Not only did she deliver a fantastic presentation, but she was also frantically working in the background to make sure everything ran smoothly on the day.
With over a decade of experience in Accessible Information Services, Vithya has developed a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and challenges presented by digital accessibility. She consults with organisations, helping them bring their digital platforms in line with industry standards, and runs workshops to help educate and inform decision makers. Through her efforts, and others like her, the internet is starting to become a more accessible and inclusive place.
This year at PDAC, Vithya presented her talk “Helper or Hinderer: The Role of AI in Digital Accessibility”. In it, she explored the dual nature of AI in the modern accessibility landscape, both as an opportunity and as a danger. And she was not alone in drawing attention to Artificial Intelligence during the conference. In fact, AI featured in several presentations and was the feature of more than a few impassioned discussions! Perhaps the most notable of these was a spirited debate on whether AI was the best tool for creating Plain Language. For the record, the ‘no’ party claimed victory – at least for now.
Along with Herin and Vithya, the conference featured many other guest speakers. Their talks touched on, amongst other things, inclusive digital design, assistive technologies, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards, and lived experiences. You can find a complete list of speakers and their presentations at the end of this article.
Along with her speaking duties, Vithya also served as a PDAC committee member. Working alongside Dr Scott Hollier (Centre For Accessibility), Amanda Mace (GrackleDocs) and Anas K A (Design Puli), Vithya devoted considerable time and effort into ensuring the success of the conference. And what a great job they all did. Thanks to their efforts, the PDAC will have to search for a bigger venue next year!
“PDAC 2026 showcased how far our community has come in pushing the boundaries of digital inclusion. With AI emerging as both a powerful enabler and a potential barrier, it’s never been more important to approach it thoughtfully — a theme I explored in my session. As part of the organising committee, I was proud to help deliver a smooth and accessible experience for both in-person and online attendees, ensuring everyone could fully participate. The energy, insights, and collaboration this year reaffirm how vital accessibility is to building a more equitable digital future.”
— Vithya Vijayakumare
We’d like to give a big thank you to everyone involved in making PDAC 2026 such a great success. The conference is an invaluable resource for accessibility and inclusion in Western Australia. Its contributions to a more accessible future cannot be understated. To everyone who attended, thanks for coming down, and we hope you learned something new. To everyone who didn’t, keep an eye out for the 2027 announcement later this year.
If your organisation is interested in learning more about Digital Accessibility from Vithya and her team, please send an email to accessible@visability.com.au or call 08 8311 8202.
For more information on everything A11y Perth (including PDAC 2027), please visit their website at A11yPerth. There, you can discover their monthly, free, and online accessibility events, and keep up to date with the latest news.
PDAC 2026 was organised by Perth Digital A11y Group. It was sponsored by VisAbility, Centre For Accessibility, GrackleDocs, Design Puli, and OZeWai.
Full List of PDAC 2026 Speakers and Presentations:
- Herin Hentry – Extreme Ownership for Accessibility (Keynote).
- Janina Sajka – Digital Accessibility Maturity Model.
- Amanda Mace & Dr. Ann Knettler – The Accessibility Leader’s Playbook.
- Jin S. Yoon – Finding the Gap: Stories That Invite Solutions.
- Ricky Onsman – Disabled is the New Normal.
- Great Debate – AI is the perfect solution for creating plain language.
- Laetitia Thompson – Accessible Aesthetics: The Intersection of Art & Alt Text.
- Vithya Vijayakumare – Helper or Hinderer: The Role of AI in Digital Accessibility.
- Beau Vass – The automated accessibility testing gap: A further false sense of accessibility
- Alina Eshal – Beyond Compliance: A Strategist’s Roadmap to Make A11y Matter to Gen Z
- Eleanor Beilby – Tech as Cognitive Accessibility: Designing Digital Tools for ADHD Brains